U.S. patent number 5,929,854 [Application Number 08/565,503] was granted by the patent office on 1999-07-27 for dialog box method and system for arranging document windows.
Invention is credited to Michael M. Ross.
United States Patent |
5,929,854 |
Ross |
July 27, 1999 |
Dialog box method and system for arranging document windows
Abstract
Methods and systems for optimizing the display and selection of
document windows for word processing and desktop publishing in a
multiple document interface. Pairs of document windows can be
displayed side by side (or above and below) each other according to
user preferences and without regard to the number or type of
documents that have been opened. The system enables users to work
with the same or different views of different documents or with
different views of the same document in a highly intuitive and
convenient manner.
Inventors: |
Ross; Michael M. (Tel Aviv,
IL) |
Family
ID: |
24258907 |
Appl.
No.: |
08/565,503 |
Filed: |
November 30, 1995 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
715/783 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06F
3/0481 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
G06F
3/033 (20060101); G06F 003/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;395/326-358 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Other References
Advanced Interface Design Guide, IBM Corp., pp. 59-87, 95-99, Jun.
1989..
|
Primary Examiner: Breene; John E.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Chakansky; Michael I.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A method for the simultaneous display on a computer screen of
selected document windows in a multiple document interface computer
system by means of a dialog box interface, the method comprising
the steps of:
(a) opening the dialog box interface;
(b) selecting from within the dialog box interface document windows
to be displayed and their screen display positions;
(c) closing the dialog box interface;
(d) displaying the selected document windows simultaneously on the
computer screen at the selected screen positions.
2. A method according to claim 1 wherein an active document window
is a first selected document window and wherein a user selects a
second document window.
3. A method according to claim 2 wherein the first and second
windows are tiled when displayed.
4. A method according to claim 3 wherein the first and second
windows are tiled horizontally.
5. A method according to claim 3 wherein the first and second
windows are tiled vertically.
6. A method according to claim 1 wherein the multiple document
interface is for a word processing application.
7. A method according to claim 1 wherein the multiple document
interface is for a desktop publishing application.
8. A multiple document interface computer system with a dialog box
interface for the simultaneous display on a computer screen of
selected document windows, comprising:
(a) means for opening the dialog box interface;
(b) means for selecting in the dialog box interface document
windows to be displayed;
(c) means for selecting in the dialog box interface screen display
positions of selected document windows;
(d) means for closing the dialog box interface;
(e) means for simultaneously displaying the selected document
windows at the selected screen positions on the computer
screen.
9. A computer system according to claim 8 wherein said means
function in accordance with the source code set forth in section
III. of the Source Code Appendix entitled A FIRST PREFERRED
EMBODIMENT--VIEW2.TM..
10. A computer system according to claim 8 wherein said means
function in accordance with the source code set forth in section
III. of the Source Code Appendix entitled A SECOND PREFERRED
EMBODIMENT--VIEW2.TM. PLUS.
Description
A portion of the disclosure of this patent document, including, but
not limited to, all the figures and computer code, contains
material which is subject to copyright protection. The copyright
owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of
the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark
Office public patent files or records, but otherwise reserves all
copyright rights whatsoever.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to the word processing
field. More specifically, this invention relates to the display of
multiple documents in sophisticated desktop publishing applications
running under graphical user interfaces.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The graphical user interface, as exemplified by Microsoft Windows
and the Apple Macintosh, enables users to work with more than one
application program at the same time. In addition, the individual
applications may have the capability of supporting many task or
document windows, generally designated by the term "multiple
document interface" (or MDI).
In the case of the powerful word processing applications, such as
Microsoft Word, WordPerfect, and FrameMaker, the capability of
performing independent work in multiple documents is generally
considered an essential element of their functionality. It simply
means that users do not have to close one file (by writing it from
the computer's memory to a permanent storage system) before opening
another file (by performing the reverse operation). There are many
benefits derived from this, among which are: (i) the ability to
switch, or activate, open windows quickly and so work alternately
among different documents; (ii) the ability to copy, cut and paste
text, graphic images, or other document objects from one window to
another; and (iii) the ability to make comparisons between
documents and implement revisions among different documents in a
flexible manner.
While the multiple document interface offers many advantages over
earlier interfaces, such as that provided in DOS-based
applications, the potential advantage of this additional
functionality of the MDI has not been fully realized in the case of
word processing applications for several reasons.
Even though the number of document windows that may be opened is
only limited by the resources of the computer hardware and the
ability of the operating system and application to utilize these
resources; the usefulness of having more than a few document
windows open at once is limited by the inability to organize or
view them in a useful fashion. In fact, because overlapping windows
obscure each other, users typically see and work with just one
document window at a time. This window state is described as
"maximized." To view another document window, users may select the
chosen window from a list, and then view this one in the maximized
state. An alternative for users is to use a "tile" command that
proportional spaces the windows so that each one occupies an equal
amount of the application's work space (or some other space
allocation as determined by an algorithm). Although the user
exposes all the windows by tiling, the visible area of each
document is inevitably reduced so that, in effect, each document is
partially hidden in the same way as it would be if the windows were
partially overlapping.
Neither maximizing nor tiling is entirely satisfactory when users
are working with many document windows. The inadequacy of each
method increases in proportion to the number of windows that users
have open. In the case of five, 10 or 15 document windows, users
can continue to switch from one maximized window to another by
means of a list, but it becomes increasingly difficult to identify
the document that occupies each window from this list. If users
choose to tile the windows, then the amount of space occupied by
each window is generally insufficient to work in the document, as
most of the text (even on a single line) will be hidden from view
without users' having constantly to scroll the window vertically or
horizontally.
There are ergonomic considerations concerning the multiple document
interface that until now appear to have been overlooked or
neglected by word processing applications that are widely used for
desktop publishing. These relate to the "preferred" way in which
users work with a document. The first consideration deals with the
limitations on the utility of a "WYSIWYG" interface and second with
the "natural way" to work with multiple documents.
A key feature of sophisticated word processors is a "WYSIWYG"
("what you see is what you get") interface. This means that users
see a representation of the document on the computer screen that
broadly corresponds in many details (though not all) with the
document as it will appear when printed out. This WYSIWYG, or page
layout, view of a document window is not necessarily the only view
provided by the word processor or even the preferred view in which
users work. For example, greater computer system resources are
required in this view, and this can reduce the speed of the
computer's response to user input as when scrolling and typing,
etc.
It is for this reason that word processors typically offer
alternative views in which users can work with a document. Among
these are a draft, or text mode, and an outline mode. (The draft
mode displays text in a monospaced font with virtually no details
of the page layout. The outline mode displays the heading levels of
a document with or without the text that constitutes the body of
the document.) In addition, there is generally a "normal" view in
which the text is displayed in the user-selected font(s) and some
limited layout information is represented. The normal view
represents a trade-off between optimizing use of computer system
resources and the accurate representation of the document on the
computer screen. This is, generally speaking, the preferred way in
which users perform most word processing tasks.
There is a further limitation of the page layout view that is hard
to overlook: the vast majority of computer monitors have a physical
screen with a horizontal (or "landscape") orientation, whereas the
vast majority of documents composed by users in word processing
applications have a vertical (or "portrait") orientation,
corresponding with the standard page sizes (book, letter, or legal,
etc.) This anomaly means that the users with normal eyesight using
normally sized computer monitors are unable to see a whole document
page in a document window while continuing to compose the document.
This is because the magnification of the document in the window has
to be reduced to a percentage of frequently less than 50% for users
to see a complete page. Since the normal size of a readable
typeface is from 10 to 12 points (the range typically used in
newspapers and magazines), at 50% magnification the effective point
size is reduced to 5 or 6 points at the most. This is the kind of
"small print" that is commonly associated with eyestrain in paper
documents. On modern computer monitors of up to 17 inches with a
Super VGA resolution of 1024 by 768 pixels a significantly better
than average screen display type of this size is typically
considered difficult or impossible to read. The result is even more
exacerbated when the display is rendered on one of the many
personal computer monitors of 14 inches many with only a VGA
resolution of 640 by 480 pixels.
The WYSIWYG capabilities of sophisticated word processors are,
therefore, often underutilized because of the impracticality of
working with text of this size. A common and somewhat inconvenient
method employed by users is to alternate between the normal and
page layout view in the same document window. The utility of this
solution decreases as the need to switch views increases. When
users are performing detailed page layout work, the need to see the
WYSIWYG view of the document on a constant basis becomes almost a
necessity.
The second consideration is that work with multiple documents be
performed in the "natural way". A general theme of the graphical
user interface (and a particular implication of the term "desktop
publishing") is the concept that, to a lesser or greater degree,
personal computers enable users to work with applications that
symbolically duplicate their real desktop environment in the
virtual environment of the computer. In fact, it is a fundamental
yardstick of a well-designed application that it should present
users with a highly intuitive interface, meaning one that can be
understood and used with the minimum requirement to learn to think
in new and, at first, "unnatural" ways. The success of the
Macintosh and of Windows is based on the simplicity of this
"virtual desktop" metaphor.
In light of this, it can be inferred that the natural way to work
with an application is one that most closely corresponds with the
users' familiar environment of the "real desktop." This has very
real applicability for word processing applications where almost
the complete set of terms and concepts used by these programs has
been acquired from the "real world" activities of preparing copy
and art for layout and of performing typesetting and printing
functions.
There is a particular aspect of the real desktop that appears to be
overlooked or neglected by the virtual desktop of word processing
applications. Users handling paper documents are likely to store
them in a file cabinet; this in analogous with the file management
system of the computer. The documents that users are currently
working with are likely to be on their desktop; this is analogous
with the open document windows in a word processor. Users may pile
the current documents on top of each other or strew them across the
desktop; this is analogous with the current document window being
maximized and the remaining windows being hidden beneath it or with
tiling all the document windows. However, users are likely to
arrange the documents in some way that makes it fairly quick and
easy for them to pick up the documents they need. This is where the
analogy with word processing applications breaks down. In addition,
when working with related documents, users may often want to place
documents next to each other, and, in the case of making detailed
comparisons between them, it is most likely users will want to
place the documents side by side.
There may be a reason why it may be more natural to place documents
side by side, rather than in another configuration, such as above
and below or partially overlapping each other. The reason is that
when documents are placed side by side, readers require less eye
movement to scan between lines of text, which can be kept in
parallel, and it also makes it far easier to keep their place in
both documents. These factors have long been recognized by
professional proofreaders, who invariably prefer to work with
narrow columns of typeset material and will generally place the
typeset material to one side of the original manuscript if a
comparison is required.
The side-by-side placement of windows is an existing capability of
some applications using the multiple document interface, such as
the File Manager of Windows for Workgroups. The command that
produces this result is usually called "Tile Vertically"; its
action is to space equally along the horizontal plane of the
application work space all document windows that are not minimized
(reduced to their minimum size). For example, if there are two
windows, each will occupy half the application work space; if there
are five, each will occupy one-fifth of the work space. Unlike the
present invention, such a command, even if available, is of little
value in word processing applications because it gives users no
control over which document windows to arrange and does not wrap
the text in each window.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is the principle objective of the present invention to enhance
the utility of the multiple document interface system for word
processing applications. This objective is accomplished by
providing a convenient method for users to select and work with two
document windows at the same time. These two windows can be for any
two of as many documents as users have opened at one time or they
may be of the same document. In fact, in accordance with the
present invention, a virtually unlimited number of windows can be
organized in the side-by-side (or above-and-below) configurations.
Each window maintains its size and position until it is actively
changed, so that users can expect to find the same window in the
same position even when switching windows in the normal
fashion.
Moreover, the present invention provides for an application whose
functionality provides the user with an interface which exhibits
more consistent behavior than some of the windowing-related
functions of current word processing software applications.
In order to address the problems associated with prior art methods
and apparatus, the present invention provides several
capabilities.
The capability to switch selectively from one document to another
without the list of open windows automatically closing after each
selection. According to Microsoft interface standards available to
the inventor, the list of windows is displayed beneath the Window
menu on the menu bar of an MDI application. The present invention
does not replace this, but supplies its own list of windows
accessible from a single "dialog box" interface that is opened by
its own command in the Window menu and remains open when switching
windows.
The capability to select any two windows to display side by side
(or above and below) each other quickly and intuitively. Users can
select any open document window to display side by side (or above
and below) the "active" document, which is defined as the window
that is currently accepting user input, by making only one
selection from the list. This capability also means that users only
have to decide about the position of one of the two documents
windows for the system to position and size both windows correctly.
This capability also means that users can use the system to arrange
any number of windows to one side (or above or below) the active
document and can switch between them normally, leaving the active
document in the same position.
In the side-by-side state, an additional capability of a preferred
embodiment of the present invention is that the text is
automatically wrapped in each window so that users do not have to
scroll the document windows horizontally. Combined with this
feature is the corresponding capability to unwrap the text
automatically when the windows are maximized or displayed above and
below each other.
Another capability is the ability to view two windows of the same
document side by side (or above and below) each other, so that
users can work in different parts or different views of either
window at the same time. For example, the active window can be in
the normal view (referred to above), while the second window can be
in the page layout or outline view. This enables users to work with
the document text at any magnification in the normal view window,
while continuing to see a complete dynamically changing
representation of the page layout in the other window. Of
particular benefit is the fact that, when a word processing
application is maximized in the horizontal rectangle of the
physical screen and two windows are displayed side by side within
it, each window is a vertical rectangle approximating the shape of
a typical paper document. The system automatically selects the
normal view and a magnification of 100% for both document
windows.
In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, there is
the capability to see a representation of a document window before
switching to this window.
In this embodiment, there also exists the capability to display
individual quarter- and half-sized windows if required.
In this preferred embodiment, there also exists the capability to
display the application window of the word processor side by side
(or above or below) a different application window. The active
document window is shown maximized (with the text wrapped within it
in the side-by-side configuration) in the application window of the
word processor. This capability makes it more easy for users to
perform word processing tasks that require the use of other
applications, such as when linking and/or embedding objects from
spreadsheet or image management programs.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The file of this patent contains at least one drawing executed in
color.
FIG. 1 shows the application window of Microsoft Word 6.0 for
Windows with the Window menu displayed and the active document
maximized.
FIG. 2 shows the application window of Word 6.0 after applying the
Arrange All command.
FIG. 3 shows the dialog box interface of the first embodiment after
opening it in the application window.
FIG. 4 shows the initial state of the dialog box interface of the
first embodiment.
FIG. 5 shows the interface of the first embodiment after the user
selects "Twice".
FIG. 6 shows the interface of the first embodiment after the user
selects "Twice" and "Horizontal".
FIG. 7 shows the interface of the first embodiment after the user
selects another file from the list box.
FIG. 8 shows the interface of the first embodiment after the user
selects another file from the list box and chooses
"Horizontal".
FIG. 9 shows the effect on the Word 6.0 application and the
interface of the first embodiment after selecting another file from
the list box and choosing "Switch to".
FIG. 10 shows the effect on the Word 6.0 application after the user
chooses "OK" when the first embodiment's interface resembles FIG. 5
(when "Twice" is selected).
FIG. 11 shows the effect on the Word 6.0 application after the user
chooses "OK" when the first embodiment's interface resembles FIG. 7
(when "Left" is selected).
FIG. 12 shows the effect on the Word 6.0 application after the user
chooses "OK" when the first embodiment's interface resembles FIG. 8
(when "Top" is selected).
FIG. 13 shows the effect of choosing the layout view in one window
after using the invention to view the same document side by side
with itself.
FIG. 14 shows the initial state of the dialog box interface of the
second embodiment.
FIG. 15 shows the interface of the second embodiment after the user
selects another file from the list box.
FIG. 16 shows the interface of the second embodiment after the user
chooses the "Window" command button.
FIG. 17 shows the interface of the second embodiment after the user
clears the "Keep the Dialog Box Displayed" check box.
FIG. 18 shows the effect on the Word 6.0 application and the
interface of the second embodiment after choosing "Activate".
FIG. 19 shows the interface of the second embodiment after the user
chooses the "Task List" command button.
FIG. 20 shows the interface of the second embodiment after the user
selects another task from the list box.
FIG. 21 shows the effect on the Windows 3.1 environment after the
user chooses "OK" when the second embodiment's interface resembles
FIG. 20 (when "Left" is selected).
FIG. 22 is a screen bitmap illustrating the dialog box interface
opened by the Arrange Windows command.
FIG. 23 is a screen bitmap illustrating an arrangement obtained
when the horizontal option item 2204 of FIG. 22 is chosen.
FIG. 24 is a screen bitmap illustrating an arrangement obtained
when the vertical option item 2203 of FIG. 22 is chosen.
FIG. 25 is a screen bitmap illustrating an arrangement obtained
when the originally active document was zoomed to 200%.
FIG. 26 is a screen bitmap illustrating an arrangement obtained
when the originally active document was zoomed to 50%.
FIG. 27 is another screen bitmap illustrating an arrangement
obtained when the originally active document was zoomed to
200%.
FIG. 28 is another screen bitmap illustrating an arrangement
obtained when the originally active document was zoomed to 50%.
FIG. 29 shows a flow chart of one preferred embodiment of the
present invention.
FIG. 30 shows a flow chart of the additional features of a second
preferred embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Two preferred embodiments of the invention are presented in detail
with reference to the drawings. These embodiments are programmed
for and function as extensions of Microsoft Word for Windows. The
present invention, however, is not limited to any particular word
processing application or any particular operating environment.
Those skilled in the art will find that the system and methods of
the present invention may be advantageously applied to any word
processing application in any operating environment and to any
other application that requires the ease of selecting and comparing
pairs of document windows. Therefore, the description of the
preferred embodiments which follows is for purposes of illustration
and not limitation.
FIG. 1 shows the application window of Microsoft Word 6.0 for
Windows in its standard configuration with menu bar and the
standard and formatting toolbars visible. The Window menu 102 is
open and lists in alphabetic order the open windows. The windows
are identified by a number and the name of the file they
contain.
In this particular example, the open windows number more than nine,
which means the user cannot see or select from the complete list
without selecting More Windows 104 to open the Activate dialog box.
The name of the active window is checked in the window list 103.
Because the window is maximized in the application window, its file
name is appended to the application title bar 101.
FIG. 2 shows the results of choosing the "Arrange All" command in
Window menu 102. All open windows are tiled with the active window
201 in the top-left corner. The text is not wrapped in the tiled
windows. Singe lines are not visible as in windows 202 and 203
unless the magnification makes the type illegible as in window
204.
FIG. 3. shows the Word 6.0 application window with the addition of
the first embodiment of the invention after opening the dialog box
interface 302 by clicking its toolbar button 301. The details of
the first embodiment's interface are shown in FIG. 4.
FIG. 4 shows the initial state of the dialog box interface of the
first embodiment. The main features of this are dynamic text 401,
409 and 411; list box 412, option button groups 407 and 410; and
command buttons 402 through 406 and 408.
Dynamic text 401 initially displays the name of the file occupying
the active window. List box 412 displays the names of the files
occupying all the open windows in alphabetic order. The name of the
active window s file is initially highlighted 413. Dynamic text 411
initially says "Show" only. Option buttons 410 initially say "Max."
(meaning Maximize) and "Twice." Option buttons 407, which are
initially disabled, say "Vertical" and "Horizontal."
If the user chooses "OK" 402 with the interface in this state, the
dialog box closes, the active window is maximized (remaining the
active window), and the text in all open documents is
unwrapped.
If, instead of choosing "OK," the user chooses "Twice" while the
active document is selected, the interface shown in FIG. 5 results.
Dynamic text 502 says "Display your active document with itself."
Option group 501 becomes enabled. In FIG. 6, the user has chosen
"Horizontal" option 601 after choosing "Twice."
If the user chooses "OK" when the dialog box interface is in the
state shown in FIG. 5 or FIG. 6 (that is, "Twice" is chosen), a new
window of the active document is created. If the user chose
"Vertical", the new window is displayed to the left of the active
window as shown in FIG. 10. The document windows 1001 and 1002 are
zoomed to 100% and the text in each window is wrapped. If the user
chose "Horizontal", the new window is displayed to the top of the
active window. The documents are zoomed to 100% and the text in
each window is unwrapped.
FIG. 13 illustrates that, in accordance with the present invention
after using the system to display the same document window twice,
the user can switch views in the windows to great advantage. In
this case, the user has switched the window on the left side to
layout view 1301 and reduced the magnification to see a complete
page. Note that the proportions of the windows in the side-by-side
configuration are close to that of a typical paper document (in
portrait orientation). The user can continue to do detailed editing
work in the window on the right side in normal view 1302. Any
changes the user makes in the normal-view window are reflected in
the layout-view window, and vice versa.
If, O before choosing "K", the user chooses another file from the
list box, the state of the dialog box interface changes to that
shown in FIG. 7. Dynamic text 701 includes the word "with:",
indicating that the file name here will be displayed with the one
selected in the list box; dynamic text 705 shows the name of this
selected file; dynamic text 703 says "Display your active document
side by side with another one." Option button group 704 changes to
"Left" and "Right". Option button group 702 is enabled. If the user
then chooses "Horizontal" from option group 702, the state of the
dialog box interface changes to that shown in FIG. 8. Option button
group 804 changes to "Top" and "Bottom". Dynamic text 803 says
"Display your active document above or below another one."
If the user chooses the "OK" command button when the dialog box
interface is in the state shown in FIG. 7 or FIG. 8 (that is, after
choosing a file other than the file contained in the active window
from the list box), the dialog box closes and the active window is
displayed with the selected file's window.
If the user chooses "Left" or "Right", meaning that "Vertical" was
also chosen, the selected window is displayed to the left or right
of the active window. If the user chooses "Left", the selected
window 1101 is displayed to the left of the active window 1102 as
shown in FIG. 11. The document windows are zoomed to 100% and the
text in each window is wrapped. If the user chooses "Right", the
selected window is displayed to the right of the active window.
(The document windows are similarly zoomed to 100% and the text in
each window is wrapped.)
If the user chooses "Top" or "Bottom", meaning that "Horizontal"
was also chosen, the selected window is displayed above or below
the active window. If the user chose "Top", the selected window
1201 is displayed above the active window 1202 as shown in FIG. 12.
The document windows are zoomed to 100% and the text in each window
is unwrapped. If the user chose "Bottom", the selected window is
displayed below the active window. (The document windows are
similarly zoomed to 100% and the text in each window is
unwrapped.)
If the user chooses the "Switch to" command button 405 when the
dialog box interface is in the state shown in FIG. 7 or FIG. 8
(that is, after choosing a file other than the file contained in
the active window from the list box), the window containing the
file selected by the user in the list box is activated 901 and
appears on top of the other document windows while the dialog box
903 interface remains open, as shown in FIG. 9. The newly activated
window can be in the maximized, minimized, or "restored" (an
intermediate size) state whichever state it was in before being
activated.
The dialog box is updated to show that the document window that has
been switched to is now the active document. Dynamic text 902 shows
the name of the file; the name of the file is highlighted in list
box 909. Dynamic text 908 says "Show" only. Option button group 907
says "Max." and "Twice". Option button group 905 is disabled. The
"Cancel" button text becomes "Close" 904 to convey to the user that
switching the active window is not reversible by canceling or
"escaping" (for example, pressing the Esc key) from the dialog
box.
The present invention utilizes the dynamic updating of dialog box
controls to present the simplest interface for the user and the
algorithm for sizing and positioning two of any number of
windows.
With reference to the flowchart in FIG. 29, the method of the first
preferred embodiment involves the following actions. Dimensioning
the array of document windows and storing the active and selected
windows. Displaying the dialog box interface. Enabling the dynamic
updating of the dialog interface. Activating another window while
keeping the dialog box open. Performing the window sizing
operation. The WordBasic code which implements one preferred
version of the first embodiment is set forth in the Source Code
Appendix at Section III under the title "A First Preferred
Embodiment--View2198 ". This implementation works with both Word 6
and Word 7 as no API calls are used.
The WordBasic code appearing in the Source Code Appendix (at I.A.)
under the title "DIMENSIONING THE ARRAY OF DOCUMENT WINDOWS AND
STORING THE ACTIVE AND SELECTED WINDOWS" illustrates one method for
dimensioning the array of document windows and storing the name and
number of the active and selected windows in accordance with the
present invention. Note that it is not sufficient to use the names
of windows to identify them, since there can be identically named
windows open with different paths. Variables are defined both for
the window names and their number in the window list.
The WordBasic code appearing in the Source Code Appendix (at I.B.)
under the title "DISPLAYING THE DIALOG BOX INTERFACE" illustrates
the method for displaying the dialog box interface. Note that some
dialog controls are hidden when the dialog box is initialized;
other controls have variable names that are specified by statements
in a dialog function illustrated in the third code sample.
The WordBasic code appearing in the Source Code Appendix (at I.C.)
under the title "ENABLING THE DYNAMIC UPDATING OF THE DIALOG
INTERFACE" illustrates the method for enabling the dynamic updating
of the dialog interface. Note that this dialog function contains
statements that alter the controls in the dialog box definition
shown in the previous sample.
The WordBasic code appearing in the Source Code Appendix (at I.D.)
under the title "ACTIVATING ANOTHER WINDOW WHILE KEEPING THE DIALOG
BOX OPEN" illustrates the method for Activating another window
while keeping the dialog box open and updating its controls.
The WordBasic code appearing in the Source Code Appendix (at I.E.)
under the title "PERFORMING THE WINDOW SIZING OPERATION"
illustrates the method for performing the window sizing
operation.
FIG. 14 shows the initial state of the dialog box interface of the
second embodiment. The main additional features to the initial
state of the interface (as compared with that of the first
embodiment already described) are box 1401, which graphically
previews a document window, and command buttons "Task List" 1402
and "Window" 1403.
Preview box 1401 initially displays the first page of the active
document, which is the file preselected in the list box. This
graphical representation provides a very small representation of
the layout view of a document. It is meant purely as a visual cue
to the content of the document.
When the user selects another file from the list box, the dialog
box interface resembles FIG. 15. The preview box displays the first
page 1502 of the selected document 1503. Therefore, the user can
maintain a visual association between any file name in the list box
and the visual content of this file without having to make the
selected file the active document by choosing the "Switch To"
command button.
An additional feature show in FIG. 15 is the appearance of dynamic
text 1501 after selecting another file from the list box. The
dynamic text provides the name of the active file with the name of
the selected file. This lets the user readily see what document
windows will be shown together if the user chooses "OK".
FIG. 16 shows the state of a second embodiment's interface when the
user chooses "Window" 1403. The name of the command button becomes
"Normal" 1604, indicating that choosing the button returns the
dialog box interface to its normal state. Dynamic text 1601 reads
"Choose a document:". Dynamic text 1608 includes the name of any
file the user selects in the list box. Option group 1607 displays
four options arranged to correspond with the labels (clockwise from
top) "Top", "Right", "Bottom", and "Left". Option group 1605 is
relabeled the "Size" group and contains two options: "Quarter" and
"Half".
In addition, there is a check box 1606 beneath it labeled "Keep the
Dialog Box Displayed", and command button 1603, which now is
labeled "Activate" (instead of "Switch to") is the default button
of the dialog box interface (meaning that it will respond to the
user's pressing Enter on the keyboard). "OK" button 1602 is
disabled.
FIG. 17 illustrates that when the user clears the check box 1703,
"OK" button 1701 is enabled and becomes the default button again,
while the "Activate" button 1702 is disabled.
When the dialog box interface is in the state illustrated in FIG.
16 or FIG. 17 and the user selects "Quarter", which is the default
selection, the user can select two options in the Show group in the
following combinations: "Left" and "Top", "Top" and "Right",
"Right" and "Bottom", or "Left" and "Bottom". If the user selects
"Half", the user can select any one option in the Show group.
When the interface is in the state that resembles FIG. 16 and the
user chooses the "Activate" button, the window containing the file
selected by the user in the list box is activated 1801, as shown in
FIG. 18. It appears on top of the other document windows and is
sized and positioned according to the user's selection in the
"Show" group. The dialog box interface 1803 remains open,
permitting the user to activate another window or perform another
action. In the example illustrated in FIG. 18, the user has also
activated a document 1804 in the bottom-left quarter of the
workspace and a document 1802 in the right half of the
workspace.
If the user's selection is to display a quarter-size window in any
position, the text in the activated window is wrapped. If the
user's selection is to display a half-size window left or right,
the text in the activated window is wrapped. If the user's
selection is to display a half-size window top or bottom, the text
in the activated window is unwrapped.
When the interface is in the state that resembles FIG. 17 and the
user chooses the "OK" button, the window containing the file
selected by the user in the list box is activated in the same way
as described above for FIG. 16, but the dialog box interface closes
at the same time.
FIG. 19 shows the state of the second embodiment's interface when
the user chooses "Task List" 1402. The name of the command button
becomes "Doc. List" 1903, indicating that choosing this button
returns the dialog box interface to its normal state of showing a
list of documents. Dynamic text 1901 reads "View Microsoft Word".
List box 1908 replaces the normally displayed list box and preview
box 1401. This new list box is a task list of all the applications
that are running in the Windows environment. Microsoft Word is
preselected in the list 1907, indicating that it is the active
application. The "Arrange" options 1904 are disabled; only the
"Max." option is enabled in the "Show" group 1906. Dynamic text
1905 says "Choose OK to maximize Word or select another application
from the list."
If the user chooses "OK" when the dialog box interface is this
state, the dialog box interface closes and the Word application
window is maximized. In addition, the active document window within
Word is maximized and its text is unwrapped.
If, instead of choosing "OK", the user chooses another application
from the list box 2002, the state of the dialog box interface
changes to that shown in FIG. 20. Dynamic text 2001 provides the
name of the selected application appended to the words "View
Microsoft Word with". This indicates that the Word application will
be displayed with another application selected in the list box if
the user chooses "OK". Dynamic text 2005 shows the name of this
selected application; dynamic text 1804 says "Choose OK to display
Word side by side another application". Option button group 2005
changes to "Left" and "Right". Option group 2003 is enabled. If the
user then chooses "Horizontal" from option group 2003, option
button group 2005 changes to "Top" and "Bottom". Dynamic text 2004
says "Choose OK to display Word above or below another
application".
If the user chooses the "Switch To" command button 1902 after
choosing another application from the list box, as in FIG. 20, the
selected application window is activated and appears on top of the
Word application while the dialog box interface remains open and
unchanged. If the selected application window was already in the
maximized or restored state, it appears in this state; if it was
minimized, it appears in the restored state.
If the user chooses the "OK" command button when the dialog box
interface is the state shown in FIG. 20 (that is, after choosing an
application other than Word in the list box), the dialog box closes
and the Word application window is displayed with the selected
application window.
If the user chooses "Left" or "Right", meaning that the user also
chose "Vertical", the selected application is displayed to the left
or right of the Word application. If the user chose "Left", the
selected application window 2101 (Microsoft Project in this
example) is displayed to the left of the Word application window
2102, as shown in FIG. 21. The active document window in Word is
maximized and the text in the window is wrapped. If the user chose
"Right", the selected application window is displayed to the right
of the Word application window. The active document window in Word
is similarly maximized and the text in the window is wrapped.
If the user chooses "Top" or "Bottom", meaning that the user also
chose "Horizontal", the selected application is displayed above or
below the Word application. If the user chose "Top", the selected
application window is displayed above the Word application window.
The active document window in Word is maximized and the text in the
window is unwrapped. If the user chose "Bottom", the selected
application window is displayed to the bottom of the Word
application window. The active document window in Word is similarly
maximized and the text in the window is unwrapped.
With reference to the flowchart in FIG. 30, the method of the
second preferred embodiment involves the following actions.
Displaying a preview box of the selected file. Activating another
window while resizing and positioning it. Dimensioning the array of
open applications. Performing the application window sizing
operation. The WordBasic code which implements one preferred
version of the second embodiment is set forth in the Source Code
Appendix at Section IV under the title "A Second Preferred
Embodiment--View2.TM. Plus". This implementation works with both
Word 6 and Word 7.
The WordBasic code appearing in the Source Code Appendix (at II.A.)
under the title "DISPLAYING A PREVIEW BOX OF THE SELECTED FILE"
illustrates the method for displaying a preview box of the selected
file. Note that if the selected file has not been saved, an empty
string is returned for the document's path. In this case, it is
temporarily made the active window, so that the file preview
statement can work.
The WordBasic code appearing in the Source Code Appendix (at II.B.)
under the title "ACTIVATING ANOTHER WINDOW WHILE RESIZING AND
POSITIONING IT" illustrates the method for activating another
document window while resizing and positioning it.
The WordBasic code appearing in the Source Code Appendix (at II.C.)
under the title "DIMENSIONING THE ARRAY OF OPEN APPLICATIONS"
illustrates the method for dimensioning the array of open
applications.
The WordBasic code appearing in the Source Code Appendix (at II.D.)
under the title "PERFORMING THE APPLICATION WINDOW SIZING
OPERATION" illustrates the method for performing the application
window sizing operation.
Although preferred specific embodiments of the present invention
have been described herein in detail, it is desired to emphasize
that this has been for the purpose of illustrating and describing
the invention, and should not be considered as necessarily
limitative of the invention, it being understood that many
modifications, including, by way of example only, the word
processing application used, can be made by those skilled in the
art while still practicing the invention claimed herein.
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